Ahmed perks up at the mention of a shortcut. He had just thought about that idea! Now to just work the plan into motion...

"As a ma'er o' fact, I do, lass," he replies, still feeling like a fool for talking that way. "It's right up ahead." He begins leading her along, toward what would hopefully be a dead end alley. The last thing he wanted was for someone to see him or find the body before he had time to leave the city.

The above image is a referral link to Nodiatis, an online RPG that I play.

Valeria watched as Roland perked up when she mentioned that there might be a shortcut nearby. Upon hearing that smiled letting him lead her towards it. As she got closer to the shortcut she began to look nervously around. Not once had she seen one of her and Leland's guards also there had been no word from her brother. Glancing over at Roland, "is it far?" she had never been within the city. shaking her head.

The rain had stopped as such she looked around feeling the cool breeze through her hair shivering slightly. Looking at him surprised, "I thought you'd never been to Azuria before?"

"I never said I never been 'ere before, lass," he replies, nonchalantly. "Just that I wasn't from 'ere." Was the little brat trying to catch him up? He wouldn't stand for it. Oh no, he wouldn't. After a few more steps, he gestures toward an alley. The rain had somewhat puddled up near the entrance, ripples spreading across its surface as water drips from the rooftop of the building closest to it.

"'Ere we go! This should end right near the front gate, lass!" he exclaims, quite enthusiastically. He wasn't sure if it did or not, but he sure wasn't about to tell her that. He just hoped the alley was deep enough to conceal a murder. With a smile, he takes a slight bow and gestures toward the alleyway with his hands.

"After you, miss."

The above image is a referral link to Nodiatis, an online RPG that I play.

"You're going the wrong way..." A female voice could be heard from above, a form being crouched on the rooftops. A cloth wrapped tail flicked back and forth as she watched the two curiously, black cat ears twitching on the top of her head, with one seeming to be missing a large piece out of it. All she wore was rags that probably had once been discarded shirt and pants, but they had long since been worn out. She had been following them from the rooftop since she had heard mention of the Scale, and followed curiously since he didn't seem to know where he was going. Or rather, he knew exactly where he was going.

When Roland stopped in front of an alley and motioned for her to start through nodded, starting down the alley. Hearing another voice shook her head looking around for it. Crossing her arms looked at Roland, "see I told you that you were leading me in the wrong direction," Crossing her arms, as she looked down the alley not seeing where it ended looked back at Roland. Starting to shiver as the breeze picked up, turning her attention back up to the roof, "why were you following us?"

Of course. And outsider just had to butt in and mess things up. He looks around for a moment and then, not seeing anyone, up at the buildings. The woman was some sort of catfolk. He had seen them before, though not this particular race. Interesting creatures, they were, and apparently very diverse. They were also very curious, from his experience. Fighting against his frustration, he puts on his best look of befuddlement and gives her a chuckle.

"I think ye be confused, there, Missy. I could swear this be the way to the Scale." She was right, in a sense. But he was going in its general direction. Would've been easier just to redirect them a bit. Or was she trying to confuse and swindle them? He would not have it, should that be the case.

The above image is a referral link to Nodiatis, an online RPG that I play.

The cat woman rolled her eyes. "I wasn't following anyone. The streets are my home and the rooftops are my streets. We just so happened to be crossing paths. Besides... didn't anyone teach you to not go into alleys with strange men?" Her tail flicked back and forth as she watched them both. She had to learn quickly the ways of the streets in order to survive. People were cruel and untrustworthy, unless you personally raised them. A friendly face always hid a knife. She learned that the hard way. Trust no one, and you just might survive. She set her bright red eyes on the man. "Unless you have the power to walk through walls, that way will get you nowhere. What's a man doing taking a girl through the alleys anyways? Everyone knows the alleys are dangerous. All sorts of undesirables lurk in the alleys." As well as innocent children... children that she fought so hard to protect. The alleys weren't as bad as she made them out to be, but she could never chance having anyone find the young ones who weren't quite prepared to defend themselves to the death.

"They say a red-eyed thief queen used to roam the alleyways, stealing whatever she could from the unfortunate souls who happened to stray too far in. She also had an entire network of thieves working for her. Very few actually saw her, and those who did, wound up dead. Rumor has it she still roams the city, but no one can say for sure since she leaves no witnesses," she told the story with a serious tone. Well, it was her story, and it was quite a bit of exaggeration. She and her group never killed anyone, and she had been well known. But they don't know that. She just wanted to have fun, and maybe scare them a little bit.

Panic showed on her face, as she looked at Zagara as she had heard stories of such things from her nursemaids and her mother. Looking over at Roland, "there is surely another way back there or another place that I could go to wait for my brother and my guards." She had seen several church's when her company had entered the city. "maybe i could wait at one of the church's instead. Though I would still like the company." Looking at Roland as she spoke.

Shivering once again feeling the cool breeze blow through the alley, Valeria looked up, "and i could do to get out of this weather before i freeze."

"Don't ye worry, lass. I'll get ye to yer brother," he says in a consoling tone. "The only red-eyed one I see is ye, ya wretched cat. If ye know the way to the Scale, why not point us in the right direction?" he questions Zagara. He wasn't entirely happy with her condescending tone. Though, it couldn't be helped; he was just leading her into a random alley that he claimed was a shortcut. But it was no cause for an apparent urchin to talk down on him, especially since it probably looked like a wrong turn. For that matter, why had she intervened in the first place? Valeria was royalty; she should mean next to nothing to the fleabag.

The above image is a referral link to Nodiatis, an online RPG that I play.

Valeria nodded pulling her cloak closer around her. "Please at least point us back in the direction that we need to go." Moving closer to Roland as she spoke. Keeping a nervous eye on Zagara as she did. Pulling out her purse of money pulled out a couple coins, showing them to Zagara, "please I will give you these if you let him guide me to the Dragon Scale uninterrupted and unopposed." her eyes pleading. "Or even you show us where we need to go."